Quote:
Originally Posted by grumpy
It is a very small company, if that is what it is. Very strange composition: there should be 16 drummers if they are the Corps, and the SNCOs are wearing the peaked head dress, successor to the Brodrick. Very strange.
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There were only around a hundred ORs in a company during the period of 8 companies (A to H) and each was divided into 2 platoons. In action the drummers were dispersed at that time, with so many men allocated to each company and, apart from musical training under the Sergeant Drummer, they conducted military training with their allocated companies so that their officers (for whom they would sound calls in action) got to know them. Ergo, with men on leave and detached duty the photo is at the strength one would expect of a company at that time.
The Brodrick cap was made obsolescent in 1905-6 but could be seen in battalions as late as 1910, depending where they were based and their associated priority for phased (waste out) replacement. Within this interim period the replacement peaked hat was issued as a priority to SNCOs, who had much bewailed the demise of their earlier 'staff caps' with smart, semi vertical peaks.